


To Be Appreciated

by Trasherrific



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, I'm trying my best, Implied non-con elements, Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Slow Burn, This is my first time trying to do chapters forgive me, Unplanned Pregnancy, interspecies pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-19 04:11:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11889741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trasherrific/pseuds/Trasherrific
Summary: Ella Ryder wasn't the hero. Ella was barely even a footnote in her brother's heroic story. He was the Pathfinder, the savior of Heleus, the Hero of the Hyperion. And what was she? A pawn that everyone forgot about. Bitterness would be an understatement, and she's so sick of hearing all this hero worship. Introductory chapter to a larger story with space travel, fighting raiders, and finding unlikely love in her brother's favorite Angaran.





	1. Bitterness and Bad Choices

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is just an intro to the character, I promise there will be more to this.  
> If you like it, let me know, I'm always happy to take feedback and talk to people. :)

Ella Ryder was many things. A brilliant scientific mind, a fan of old Earth music, a beautiful young woman who could make friends with anyone. What she was _not_ was her brother, Scott. He was a hardass who liked to shoot first, ask questions later, intimidate and coerce to get his way. Their methods couldn't be more different, and yet, he was the hero everyone loved. He was the Pathfinder. He destroyed the Kett. He saved the Heleus Cluster. He made first contact with the Angara. He carried on their father's legacy and was famous and beloved for it. She was barely a footnote in his story. Most people didn't even know he had a twin until she and the Hyperion were stolen by the Kett, then she was another person that he so valiantly rescued. Nevermind that he was always a bit of a bully, or that he had lied to her while she was in her coma. She had no way to be prepared for the attack because Scott had told her that their father was alive and colonizing worlds and everything was just fucking dandy.

Perhaps the worst part of it all wasn't that people thanked him for doing his damn job, but that his story was going to be a solid part of their history, and she was being swept under the rug as another victim. In the Cultural Center on the Nexus the VI that spoke about the human pathfinder mentioned how the death of Alec Ryder lead to the rise of Scott Ryder, his son who rose from the ashes of grief to save us all. This was the story everyone knew and loved. Nevermind that Alec Ryder died, he was just the foundation for Scott. Everyone had moved on from grieving him, if they even had, and she was left to deal with the pain on her own.

She was already 600 years displaced, you wouldn't think a few months would make much difference, but it did. If she had woken up at the same time as Scott she may have been named Pathfinder, or maybe Father wouldn't have died at all if she had been there. Who knows, maybe she could have found a peaceful resolution with the Kett without Scott mucking it up in the sake of human interests and violence. Obviously he couldn't have been the worst person ever, since he did have the loyalty and friendship of his crew, but it was still upsetting to think about how things could have been different if she hadn't been left in her cryo-pod for those few extra minutes.

But maybe Scott had changed with all this new responsibility? She received an email inviting her to a party with Scott and his friends. There had been several parties after the defeat of the Kett but she hadn't bothered going to them, feeling too tired and irritable to go out in public. For Scott to reach out and ask her to come was kind of nice. What could it hurt to get to know his friends? Maybe they'd give her insight into how he's been as the Pathfinder, how the work may have changed him. At least there was bound to be free drinks. So she put on some skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and her favorite jacket and went to where Scott asked her to meet up. She waited for a few minutes when suddenly a deep, resonating voice called out to her. "Ryder!" She looked over to see Scott's angaran friend running up to her. Before she knew it she was being hugged by this person she only barely knew. "It is good to see you in good health, Ella Ryder, I was concerned after our fight with the Kett." 

"It's nice to see you too...friend."

"Oh!" He let go of her, realizing he had been too forward for human standards. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've actually been introduced. I am Jaal Ama Darav."

"I'm Ella Ryder, but you knew that. You can just call me Ella from now on though. It's nice to meet you. Again."

Jaal smiled warmly and she couldn't help but smile back. 

"Well, Ella, Scott asked me to come get you. He got a vid-call that he didn't want to miss, but he didn't want you to think you were being ignored either."

"Nice of him."

"Yes! But come with me, the festivities await us." He gestures for her to follow as he leads her to an apartment on the Nexus that must have been made specifically for the treasured hero of Heleus given the sheer size of it. She had seen apartments like this on the Citadel but not here. The Nexus had tried to be smarter about its resource allocation for the most part, but now resources were more readily available and it wouldn't hurt to splurge a little. Scott's apartment was full of people, asari, human, angaran, turian, some salarians and even a couple krogan. There was a make-shift bar and a sorta-dance floor. She couldn't help but smile at seeing so many people mingling and having a good time together, as if the bad blood of the past never existed. Jaal set his hand on her back and helped guide her through the crowd to where Scott was sitting, sipping at some form of whiskey. 

"Heeeey sis."

"Hey yourself, baby brother."

"I don't know if you can pull that on me now. You may have been born one minute ahead but I've been aging for the past few months, you haven't. So I'm kinda older than you now."

"Sure Scott." She chuckled, "So, this is how the illustrious pathfinder spends his time? Trashing his new home and getting hammered?"

"Pretty much, yeah." 

"Jaal said you had an important vid-call, so you sent him to pick me up. Who could be more important than your favorite twin?"

"Only twin, and I had to check up on my boyfriend. Make sure he's doing okay, he couldn't make it to the party."

"Too bad, I've been hoping to meet this mysterious boyfriend of yours."

"So you can steal him away from me? No thanks." Scott chuckled but the humor didn't quite reach his eyes. He returned to his whiskey then gestured towards the party. "I invited you here to have fun, not interview me. Go make friends, get drunk, wake up naked in some bushes or something. Sick of you moping around."

"Gee, thanks Scott. I'll try to do those first two at least. Don't get too drunk." She turned and went to the bar, asking the asari tending it to give her a strong surprise. A few minutes later she had exactly that. It was fruity and tart and while it didn't burn she could tell within a few minutes that she'd made a choice. Maybe not a good choice, but a choice. She had another then asked for some wine, something a little less potent to keep her buzz going without killing her. 

She wasn't sure how it happened, but she ended up on the dance floor swinging her hips and dancing with whoever was interested. She changed partners a few times going from the hard touch of a turian to the alluring gaze of an asari. Everything was great until she was crowded by two humans that started grinding against her from both sides. None of her other partners that night had been quite so bold. She tried to push the one in front of her away but her arms weren't doing what she needed them to do and instead it seemed like she was trying to rub the guy's shoulders. He grinned and leaned in to kiss her, so she turned her head away. The music was too loud for her to call out for help as they started kissing her neck. She vaguely registered seeing Jaal, or maybe it was someone who looked like Jaal, and she reached out for them, unable to pull away from the two men touching her in her drunken state. The angaran came to her side swiftly, allowing her to see that it was, in fact, Jaal. He pulled her from between the two men and snarled at them when they complained. He then scooped her up under the thighs and carried her to a quieter, less crowded room and set her down on a couch, kneeling in front of her, looking her over with concern.

"Ella, are you hurt?"

"Naaaw, they didn't do nothin'." 

"They were making you uncomfortable."

"Yeah but, like, you helped. They didn't do anything bad." She hiccuped and leaned onto his shoulder. 

"I lost track of where you were after you left the bar and I got worried. I'm glad I found you when I did."

"Me too, man. Guys can be such creeps..." 

He sighed softly. "Maybe you should go home and sleep. For your own safety." 

"Yeah, this party is lame anyway." 

"Whatever you say, Ella." He helped get her off the couch and walked her back to her apartment, his arm around her waist to hold her up while she stumbled along, talking about how human guys can be super rude sometimes and how Jaal was such a good guy. She couldn't tell for certain but she thought that maybe he was blushing.

Once she was finally safe inside her apartment she pulled him into a hug, which he seemed more than happy to reciprocate. "H-Hey Jaal..."

"Yes?" 

She leaned up and kissed him quickly, her last dumb decision of the night. "Thanks for walking me home." She then let go of him and stumbled over to her couch, laying down and quickly falling asleep. 


	2. Cabin Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Ella's drunken escapades Jaal is left to wonder what kind of friendship the two of them will have. Ella, meanwhile, is eager to go out and see what's beyond the Nexus for herself and pleads with just about everyone for some sort of mission to get her off of the station. Scott would prefer that she doesn't go out alone and you'll never guess who volunteers to be her guide and companion.

Jaal didn't know how to respond to Ella's kiss, and she fell asleep before he could ask her any questions about it. He decided to leave it for another day and left her apartment. He didn't return to Scott's party and instead chose to spend the remains of the evening exploring the Nexus while it was so quiet and calm. There were still some people about, but it was nothing compared to the daily traffic. He pondered how Scott would react if he tried to seek his sister's affections. He pondered why Ella would deny a kiss from someone of her own kind but kiss him without thought. He decided that no matter what the answer he wouldn't bring it up, just in case it was a decision made only out of her intoxication. He would save both of them the embarrassment for now, but he would watch for any signs that she may be genuinely interested in him.

The next time he saw Ella was a few days later. She was arguing with Scott who for the first time seemed like he was about to surrender. He tried to give them some distance but Scott spotted him and called him over. Ella saw him and her expression changed for just a moment, something between recognition and perhaps fear? He couldn't always tell with human faces. She composed herself quickly enough and returned her attention to Scott.

"Jaal, I need you to talk some sense into my stubborn sister." Ella scoffed at that.

"What's the problem, Ryder?"

"Ella wants to go explore the cluster by herself."

"I got permission from Addison and Captain Dunn to check on our outposts and help out around the cluster. You can't be everywhere at once, Scott."

"That doesn't mean you can go out by yourself!"

"I'm an adult! The biggest threat is gone, you made sure of that!"

Scott looked to Jaal pleadingly. "Please explain to her why going out by herself is a stupid idea."

"There are plenty of other threats in Heleus besides the Kett, Ella. Raiders, extreme wildlife, perhaps even some remaining Roekaar." 

"Anti-human terrorists." Scott supplied to answer Ella's confused expression.

"Yes, there is a possibility they could still be a threat. And you have not traveled through Heleus, it would be unwise for you to go alone. At the very least you should have a guide."

"I'm not a tourist, Jaal. I want to explore, have an adventure!"

Jaal shrugged, looking to Scott, who sighed then suddenly seemed to perk up. 

"Here's an idea, sis. Take someone from my team with you, they could use their experience to help keep you from dying, but you'd know they weren't your babysitter."

"The only one of your friends I know is Jaal, and I doubt he wants to go anywhere with me after dealing with me drunk." She seemed dejected saying that, as if she genuinely thought he didn't like her now. 

"I would happily be your guide, Ella. Heleus is my home, I know it well. And as far as your drinking goes, I was not upset by anything you did."

"Perfect! Ella, you take Jaal with you on your trip and everyone will be happy." 

Ella seemed to hesitate, looking up at Jaal with a very unsure but almost hopeful expression. "If Jaal is sure..." He nodded immediately to let her know that he was. She then shrugged. "I guess this'll work."

Jaal was happy to have this chance to get to know her better, without prying eyes and reputations to distract. Captain Dunn had given Ella permission to leave, since she was technically a crew member of the Hyperion, and Director Addison had given Ella access to a shuttle, so it would be just the two of them. The shuttle did have an autopilot system and would just need Ella's help for takeoff and landing, which she was more than capable of. They gathered their supplies and said their goodbyes and left the Nexus in high spirits. Jaal had thought her a rather glum person when he'd seen her in the past, more similar to Evfra than her brother, but now that she was off the station and seeing stars and nebula he realized that she had just been feeling trapped on the station. Liam had referred to it as cabin fever. When he first heard the term he thought it an actual illness, not just a feeling of restlessness. 

\---

Ella felt better than she had in her entire time in Andromeda. Everything up to this point had been going wrong, now she was finally getting to do what she had wanted to in the first place, explore. She was a scientific mind and any discovery was worthwhile to her. She anticipated finding new minerals and studying new animals and just generally engrossing herself in every foreign aspect of the galaxy. While she had not been keen on the idea of having company for said experience, she was not against that company being Jaal. He was also new and fascinating, maybe after they got used to each other she could ask about his people and culture, study how his weird knees worked, everything. She did feel a little awkward that it was Jaal, though. She had a dreamlike memory, or perhaps a memorylike dream, of kissing Jaal. He hadn't said anything and she didn't want to bring it up just to discover she had imagined it. 

Outside of the slight awkwardness she felt things were going alright. He didn't object to her playing her music, and she didn't object to him studying her pistol, a custom made little beauty that she got as a last minute treat before leaving the Milky Way. It was the only one of its kind in Andromeda, and perhaps in the whole universe. Maybe Jaal could make an upgrade for it with his knack for weapons and tech, she would not be opposed to it having a higher ammunition capacity. Their first stop would be Eos, the first and largest successful outpost was on the planet and she knew that it had relatively easy animals to deal with as opposed to some of the other planets, like Havaarl or Elaaden. 

The shuttle wasn't large but it did go fast enough that they didn't have to worry about trying to live on it. They had angaran nutrient paste for Jaal and a box containing MREs for her. They also had water, medi-gel, some flare guns along with their regular gear and the shuttle came with a distress beacon should all else fail. Ella was confident that they would do fine, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to be prepared. She didn't want to give Scott the satisfaction of being right about her not being ready to explore. Or Lexi, for that matter. She'd fussed over her almost non-stop once things had settled down, and was insistent that Ella shouldn't leave the station for another month. She'd almost wanted to rip her tentacle-things off of her head in frustration. If Lexi hadn't insisted on monitoring her so closely she may have tried to escape the Nexus and disappear into one of the outposts to live out her life as her own person instead of the Pathfinder's sister. But, no, she was too fragile, too unstable, her implant was too damaged yadda yadda yadda. 

After a couple hours of flight they arrived on Eos and landed just outside of Prodromos. They asked around to see if the outpost needed any help and lo-and-behold a lot of people needed an extra hand. Scouting missions, missing deliveries, nests of pests, plenty of work to do on Eos, and Ella was happy to do them all. She returned to the shuttle and geared up, then she and Jaal went towards their first mission, recovering some tech from one of the original outpost attempts for a scientist. Then they searched for a mission scout team and found that they'd come across a landmine. It was sombering but she marked the coordinates so the families of the dead could collect their remains. They continued on doing task after task as they were able, spending their day together helping people. This did bring a level of comfort between them and they started talking about their interests and things, getting to know one another.

"So, Ella, I have been meaning to ask, why do you dislike your brother?"

"You picked up on that, huh?"

"Yes, you seem to have some hostility towards him. I have many, many siblings, so I am not guaranteed to get along with all of them, but you have only the one."

"Yeah. I know that you're friends with Scott but he's always been kind of arrogant and irrational, assuming that he always knows what's best just because he thinks he has the best ideas ever." 

"So he is confident, what's is wrong with that?"

"It's not confidence. He _lied_ to me about our Dad. Dad died saving Scott yet when I was in a coma and asked about Dad he told me that he was alive and well, colonizing planets and making friends with new alien species. He didn't tell me he had died, he didn't tell me the Kett were making things difficult. He let me believe that everything had worked out perfectly, then when I woke up I was shocked to find that everything he had said was a lie. And yet he's this great hero that everyone loves and I just get pushed aside and ignored."

"Ah...I did not know that Scott had lied to you. I understand your pain."

"Oh really? You understand my pain? You're treated like a hero too, Jaal."

"I wasn't always. When I was a young man, very young, I fell in love with a girl who was older than I, Allia. She was brilliant, and beautiful. When she kissed me I became absolutely hers. For a year she held my heart, and then one day my older brother came to visit the farm we were working at. He was an accomplished and respected soldier in the resistance, and Allia fell in love with him. She joined our family and became one of the mothers."

"Oh...wow that's...God, Jaal, that's awful. So you have to see her all the time then?"

"No. She and my brother were taken by the kett, their children survived but they...they are gone. So, yes, I do understand your pain, at least in part."

"Thanks for opening up to me, Jaal. I appreciate your trust. Have you had any other partners?"

"No, she was my first love, and after she broke my heart I did not want to love again. Eventually I focused all my efforts on the resistance. My heart has healed but I have not found new love, not yet."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck with that. I'm sure there's someone out there who could make you happy again."

Jaal chuckled softly and the sound made her heart flutter. "Thank you, I'm sure there is too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm giving it the try my dudes.


	3. Caring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone's scars and tattoos can tell you a lot about their history. Jaal and Ella both want to know more about each other, so why not start with the most obvious of things? A trip to Kadara to meet Scott's boyfriend turns sour and Jaal has a lot of emotions.

After they'd finished all the chores they'd picked up in Prodromos Ella felt it was necessary to have something to eat while watching the sunset, a phenomenon she had missed dearly in her time on the Nexus. Ella took the shuttle up onto a high plateau away from everyone else before grabbing an MRE and getting out to sit  on the plateau's edge. Jaal hesitated before sitting with her, nutrient paste in hand. They ate in silence at first, simply enjoying the breeze and the setting sun, but Ella wasn't able to stay silent forever. 

"Tell me, Jaal, how did you get your scars?" 

"I have many scars," He chuckled, turning to her with a warm smile, "I will need you to be more specific."

"Well you have two big ones on your head, we could start with those ones."

"The one on my mantle was from fighting the Kett, if I had not moved when I had the shot would have killed me." 

"And your cheek?"

"That one is much more recent. I had enlisted the help of your brother in tracking down the Roekaar. They had already tried to attack this planet and they wanted to make all angara hate you aliens. If that hadn't been bad enough, 3 of my siblings joined the cause. The Roekaar leader, Akksul, is a well spoken, intelligent man. But his heart was turned to stone after being tortured by the Kett. He wanted all aliens dead because of what the Kett did to him and he would not listen to reason. I stood my ground against him and let him spew his rhetoric, blaming the Resistance and the humans for everything he could think of. I knew that if I remained calm his followers would see how far he had fallen. He shot me, it barely grazed me but still, he shot one of his own people while ranting about aliens. His followers saw how far he had fallen and left the cause."

"That was brave...and stupid. Like, really stupid. You could have died."

"If I had died it would have been for my people."

"But you had no guarantee that the other Roekaar would see reason, it's completely possible that they could've cheered him on and shot everyone else!"

"But they didn't." He chuckled and patted her back. "I appreciate your concern for me, but everything turned out alright in the end. Now, let me ask _you_ something."

"Go ahead."

"What is your tattoo for? I have seen other humans with them and most say that they hold some meaning."

"Oh, this?" She touched her hand to the geometric design on the left side of her neck, the interconnecting angles that creeped up her neck onto her jaw. "I guess you could say it's philosophical? All these simple pieces, when put together, make something beautiful. That's how nature is, all the little pieces working together making some complex and amazing. And people can be like this too, many people working together can make something that no one person could make on their own." She looked over to Jaal to see a softness in his eyes that she didn't expect so she quickly dropped her gaze.

"That is beautiful, we Angara have similar views on family. Each person is a stone, with many working together you can build a wall that will stand strong against adversity."

They sat in silence again, finishing their meals as the last light of the sun cast beautiful colors through the clouds. It was a beautiful sight, and it suddenly struck her how romantic a scene this would be. Did Jaal think this was a romantic scene? If he did was he alright with sharing such a moment with her? Was she alright with sharing a romantic moment with him? Her mind began to race and Jaal must have sensed her discomfort as he reached over to pat her back gently. "I am glad we got to see this, it's nice to remember what we fight for." He then stood and returned to the shuttle. She took a moment to collect herself before following.

\---

Their next destination was Kadara, a planet that Jaal really did not care for, but Ella insisted she had to see for herself. She wanted to meet Scott's boyfriend, Reyes Vidal, and it wouldn't hurt to see what the exiles were up to. She'd read in a report that there had been civil strife between two warring gangs, but Scott had helped to settle it, so theoretically there would now be peace. Jaal told her his opinion of Vidal, talking about how he was brash and rude and liked to lie to people.

"So, he's basically another Scott."

"Your brother is much more honest than Vidal."

"Oh goody." She sighed. Hopefully Reyes would play nice today; try to make a good impression on her.

They landed at the port and a handful of people recognized Jaal and said hello, asking what brought him here without Ryder. He explained that he was here with Ryder, just not the Pathfinder one. Ella sighed at that and then introduced herself, begging people to just call her Ella, the Ryder family name had become more of a burden than anything at this point. She didn't want to risk being associated with Scott on a planet full of criminals. 

The market was interesting, she bought a couple armor pieces and some grenades that she hadn't seen any other vendor offer, she wasn't about to question why this was. Jaal kept careful watch over her and on any people coming near her. She appreciated his desire to protect her but having a bodyguard would be rather conspicuous. She told him as such and he calmed down a little, instead opting to stand next to her so no one could try to sneak up on her without him noticing. They asked the vendor where they might find Reyes Vidal and they were told, rather rudely, to go check the bar.

So off they went to a den that reminded her of Omega in the Terminus systems, a place she had only dared go to once to buy some hard-to-find gear from a black market dealer. She never dared go there again, and this place was giving her that same uncomfortable vibe. Instinctively she held onto Jaal's arm to give her an anchor and a sense of safety in this wild place. He didn't object, and if the stiffness in his shoulders was any indication, he was feeling the same as she was. They found Reyes tucked away into a corner, sipping at whiskey and reading off a datapad. "Vidal." Jaal grumbled at him, not in greeting so much as acknowledgement of his existence. Reyes looked up and smiled coyly when he saw Ella clinging to his arm. 

"A _pleasure_ to see you again, Jaal. Who is this sweet thing you've brought with you? She looks familiar, though I cannot place where I know her from."

"I'm Ella, Scott's sister." She wasn't sure how to feel about the look Reyes was giving her before she spoke, but once she mentioned Scott a genuine smile lit up his face.

"So you're the twin! I've been hoping to meet you, but I'm so busy with my work here that I just haven't had the time."

"Yes, Scott has mentioned that you do some dangerous work here." 

"It's no more dangerous than the work he does. Honestly, it's probably safer. Speaking of work, would you be willing to do me a favor?" 

"Depends on the favor." She says sternly, questioning his motives.

He chuckles, "Nothing reprehensible, I promise, I'm simply wondering if you would investigate some unusual sightings for me. I've heard that there _might_ be raiders or something similar setting up in the Badlands. I'd like to know that my home is safe, but I don't have the time to go out and investigate myself."

"So you want us to investigate and see if there's anything to worry about."

"Exactly. You will be paid for your work, I promise." Reyes's gaze seemed to peer into her soul. She considered it for a moment, looking to Jaal before turning back to him.

"Send me the information. I better not regret this."

\---

It was bandits. Or raiders. Some sort of gang with bad intentions, Jaal didn't have time to consider what name to call these people shooting at them. They weren't in the best position, 2 people against 20 was a bit too much. Ella said she called for backup, so now they just had to wait until help arrived. As it was it became apparent to him that Ella wasn't comfortable with fighting. Her technique showed that she had been trained at some point, but her response time and the way her hands shook suggested that she hadn't had much chance to use that training. He did his best to cover her  as she used her omni-tool to overload weapons and launch little attack drones into the fray. Jaal lost sight on his target as they used a cloak. He shot at who he could see, shouting for Ella to keep an eye out for a cloaked enemy. She started to shout an affirmative when she was interrupted by an omni-blade stabbing through her back and out through her stomach. She fell to the ground and Jaal quickly took out her attacker. He jumped out from cover and ran to Ella's side. She was gasping and clutching her stomach as it slowly bled, the omni-tool had cauterized the wound for the most part. He threw a grenade towards the remaining enemies as their backup finally arrived. 

"Ella! Stay awake, help is here, we'll take care of you! Just keep your eyes open." He gingerly pulled her into his arms. She murmured something his translator couldn't understand, but her hand gently coming up to pet his cheek was more than enough. He stood, scooping her up with him. Then he ran as fast as his legs could carry to the shuttle. "She's been stabbed, she needs medical attention! Please!"

One of the men on the shuttle jumped into action, having Jaal lay her down on the seat so he could help, applying medi-gel to what he could access of her wounds. They left for Kadara port soon after and Jaal picked Ella back up, unwilling to let anyone else take her. She smiled weakly up at him and seemed to press into his chest. He ran her to the slums, taking her to the only doctor he knew of on this stupid planet, Dr. Nakamoto. He followed the Doctor's instructions, laying her where he was told to, helping get Ella out of her armor so he could fully tend to her wounds, and then leaving to sit outside. That was the part he had the most difficulty doing, leaving Ella alone in someone else's care. He wasn't sure what the doctor did but about an hour later Jaal was allowed back inside to see Ella sleeping, her abdomen wrapped in bandages. 

"Will she live?"

"Of course she'll live, she'll be in pain for a while, but she'll live. Don't let her run around or pick fights for at least a month, do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, of course. When will she wake up?"

"The anesthetic should wear off in another hour, I've already administered medication to help with her pain. She'll probably need some help walking for the first few days, but I trust she'll recover quickly enough."

"Thank you, Dr. Nakamoto." He paid Nakamoto his fee and sat next to Ella's bed, feeling a confusing mix of rage, fear, regret and relief. She was attacked because he hadn't taken down the enemy fast enough. She was only there in the first place because Vidal couldn't do his own dirty work. She could have died! But she didn't, she was alive and would be alright. His biggest fear was that she might blame him for this and not want to be around him anymore. She hadn't seemed mad before, but she was injured and probably just grateful to be helped. Once she knew she was going to live she might change her tune. He sincerely hoped she wouldn't hate him. 

When she finally woke she was there, anxiously waiting for her to say something. She gestured for him to come closer and he obliged, hoping she wasn't mad at him. She sat up slowly using his shoulder to help pull herself up into a sitting position, then she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. He cautiously hugged back, not wanting to hurt her. Relief flooded his heart when she whispered a quiet thank you to him. He held her for as long as she wanted to be held, only letting go after she did. He then helped her get out of bed and get fully redressed, she still had on her pants and bra, but she needed help pulling on her shirt, and Jaal decided it best for him to carry her armor for her instead of putting that weight back on her. They slowly walked together back to the bar to face Reyes. He had heard what happened and stood as soon as he saw them come in the door.

"I am truly sorry, I had no idea that any of this woul-" Reyes started before Jaal punched him in the face. The bar patrons didn't care, a few punches were nothing noteworthy in a place like this. Reyes stumbled back and held his jaw. They both looked to Ella who looked exhausted and annoyed. 

"I don't need an apology, just pay me and don't send me out for that kind of job again."

"I really didn't think it would be a problem, Scott took out whole squadrons by himse-" Again, Reyes was interrupted, but this time by Ella.

"I'M NOT MY BROTHER! Scott was a lieutenant in the Alliance, I was a field researcher! I wish everyone would stop expecting me to be like him! I wasn't like Alec and I'm not like Scott, people need to stop expecting me to be like them!" She held tightly onto Jaal's arm to hold herself up, he didn't mind, her small hand had no real chance of hurting him.

"I see. I am still sorry for all of this. I'll pay you double for the...inconvenience. May the next time we meet be under happier circumstances." Reyes transferred the credits over to her and walked away. 

"We should leave, Taoshay." He realized a moment too late what he had said to her, but apparently her translator didn't pick up on the word as she gave him a confused look before nodding. Why had he called her that? Why did it feel so right to call her that? He hoped the ride back to the Nexus would help clear his head.


	4. Romantic Evenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ella can sense the growing spark between her and Jaal, and decides to take the chance and ask him out. Jaal helps her "escape" the Nexus to go on a trip to Havarl to meet his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://simages.ericdress.com/Upload/Image/2016/50/watermark/1050-1400/56e8dddb-b9dc-4fa9-bd65-6bd7419d9dcc.jpg  
> This is the dress Ella wears ^u^

To say that Lexi was upset would be a vast understatement. She spent a solid hour chastising Jaal and Ella for their irresponsibility, then she called Scott to yell at him for letting Ella leave the station before she was ready. If Ella hadn't been weakened by her injury she would've stormed out of the doctor's office and left the Nexus immediately out of spite, but she was feeling weak and Jaal had been staying by her side constantly since she got hurt, he probably would've stopped her before she could escape the Nexus anyway. Not that she minded Jaal's company, he was pretty much the only person she could stand right now, and she was beginning to think his feelings may have gone beyond camaraderie. She didn't know what Taoshay meant, but his tone and his eyes gave her a decent idea of what it could mean. It would probably be wise to ask another angaran to translate for her before she brought it up, just to make sure it was a term of endearment like she was ~~hoping~~ assuming.

She spent the next two weeks restless on the Nexus, kept on lockdown while she heals. Jaal was free to go where he pleased yet most days he would visit her, bringing her something to study or some sort of project for them to work on together like tinkering with a gun or fixing an old drone. He taught her about angaran tech and she taught him more about Milky Way tech, he already knew a decent amount from his time on the Tempest but he seemed happy to let her speak, regardless of if it was new information or not. She decided it was time to try and make a move, to gauge Jaal's interest in her and show him a nice time, to thank him for everything he's done for her. "Jaal, would you like to go out for dinner?" 

"It's hardly dinner time, but thank you for the offer." 

"No, I meant later, when it _is_ dinner time. Now that things are working out some restaurants have opened on the Nexus and I want to take you to one." 

"That sounds wonderful, Ella. What time will we go?"

"I'll need some time to get ready, but how about 15:00? You can come back here and we'll go."

"Why would I have to come back? Do you want me to leave?" He sounded a little hurt, but mostly perplexed.

"It's not that I _want_ you to leave, but I can't get ready if you're here. I need privacy sometimes, Jaal, it's a human thing."

"Well, if you're certain, I will come back at 15:00. I look forward to seeing you again, Taoshay." He smiled and set his hand on her shoulder before leaving. 

Ella heaved a sigh of relief before breaking down into a fit of excited giggles. He said yes!  _And_ he called her Taoshay again, which was probably a good sign. She had 4 hours to get cleaned up and ready and she was going to make the most of them. Everyone had been allowed to bring a handful of things to Andromeda, and one of hers was her fanciest dress, she had worked hard to earn it and it was worth every credit. The tight lace bodice showed off her breasts and the flowing skirt framed her long mocha legs beautifully. She never wore makeup on a daily basis, and her hair was usually kept in a braid or a bun to keep it out of her way, but she was going all out tonight. Deep red lipstick and smoky eyes gave her an allure she usually didn't bother with, her silky black hair was allowed to flow down over her shoulders, framing her face. She chose a lavender perfume and a pair of strappy flats that went all the way up to the knee, accentuating her legs even more without compromising her ability to walk. Looking in the mirror she felt more beautiful than she had in ages, all because she wanted to see Jaal's reaction to her like this. 

\---

Jaal hadn't been nervous when Ella asked him to join her for dinner, he was excited perhaps, but he was always excited to spend time with her. It wasn't until he mentioned it to Liam that his heart began to race. 

"She asked you out?!" Liam sounded incredulous, but the grin on his face suggested otherwise.

"She asked me to go to dinner with her..." 

"Dude, she asked you out on a date! And you said yes!!" Liam grabbed his shoulders, grinning even wider. 

"I'm not sure what a 'date' is, Liam." He was starting to feel stupid for not knowing this apparently obvious thing. After Liam explained what dates were he _did_ feel stupid. "What do I do?"

"Do you have anything to wear besides what is currently on your body?"

"Not with me, these clothes serve their purpose." 

"Not good enough, we're going to go shopping and make you the handsome devil she deserves." 

"Why would I want to be a devil? Aren't they evil creatures wh-" Liam sighed and dragged him to a store that had opened to serve the angarans visiting the Nexus. 

\---

It was 15:20 and Ella was starting to feel sick. Was Jaal standing her up? Had he forgotten? What if something had happened to him? Every situation she thought of was worse than the last as she paced her apartment, fretting over what could have happened. Had she misinterpreted his intentions? Had she given him the wrong impression somehow? A knock at her door made her heart skip a beat. She went over quickly, looking through the peephole to see Jaal. Relief flooded her as she opened the door. He was wearing something she hadn't seen before, some sort of angaran suit maybe. It was dark blue with white and gold, but with the same rofjinn over it. He had taken off his visor for once and she got to see both of his beautiful eyes, which were currently focused on her legs. She smiled and set her hand gently on his chest. "You're late, I was getting worried."

"I...I'm. Yes, I'm sorry. Liam said I had to get a new outfit, so I was..." He seemed unable to focus on his words as he looked her over and she stepped closer to him. 

"You look very handsome, it was worth the wait." She smiled up at him and he set his hand gently on her cheek. 

"Yes it was..." He cleared his throat and stepped out of her way, "Dinner? That was our goal for the evening, was it not?" 

She smiled and put her arm through his, walking him to the elevator, taking them to the newly opened section of the Nexus where restaurants and new business had opened. She did feel slightly overdressed for walking around on the Nexus, but Jaal's reaction was more than worth the effort. It wasn't hard getting into the restaurant given who they were, and they were quickly seated and brought a sweet Thessian wine, a delicacy given that they could never restock. Sure, more wines could be made, but they wouldn't be Thessian. Jaal seemed to approve of the flavor, at least, giving her hope that he would like the asari cuisine. As far as she knew the angara mostly ate fruit, so hopefully he'd be able to find something he liked. 

She had to explain some of the dishes to Jaal but he seemed excited to try this new food, while she was excited to have a fancy meal. After placing their orders she gently grabbed Jaal's hand. "Jaal, I need to know something."

"Just ask."

"Do you like me?"

"Of course I like you, Ella."

"No I mean. Do you _like_ like me?"

"I'm not certain I follow..."

"Do you care about me? Beyond friendship..." She was blushing hard and was finding it hard to keep her eyes on his, but she had to see this through, she had to get an answer.

"Yes." 

"That's it? Just a plain and simple yes?"

"You are a remarkable woman, Ella. I do care about you, and I do like you. You are beautiful and smart; you are strong and honest. So, to answer your question, yes."

She smiled brightly, blushing as he brought her hand to his lips, kissing each of her knuckles. "After you kissed me I couldn't help but think about you." She blushed harder at that, her smile dropping a bit. 

"So I did do that, then? I wasn't sure if it was a memory or if I dreamed it." 

Jaal's rumbling chuckle put her at ease, "Yes, you did kiss me. Then you fell asleep before I could even ask why." 

They spent more time talking, the uncertainty cleared away to leave room for open discussion about what they like about eachother, what they want from a relationship, how they feel about their time together. Their talk is interrupted by their food arriving, and their focus goes to that. Jaal's curiosity is endearing as he tries each part of his food separately, then together. Sure, it's not the best table manners, but she honestly doesn't give a shit. He's adorable, and wonderfully sweet to her. Not to mention those big strong arms and legs, or the way his eyes twinkle when he looks at her, or his voice. She gets lost in him and next thing she knows the waitress is coming by for the bill. Before she even has a chance to pull out her omni-tool Jaal is paying for the meal. She sighs, Liam probably told him it was traditional for the man to pay for everything, regardless of the fact that _she's_ the one who asked _him_ out and wanted to treat _him_ to a nice night. After their meal is paid for Jaal pulls her chair out for her and offers her his hand to help her up. Yup, Liam must've given him date advice. She rolls her eyes but takes Jaal's hand, letting him 'help' her. She keeps his hand in hers as they leave the restaurant, heading out again. She realizes that she didn't plan this far ahead and starts to panic, unsure of what Jaal might be expecting from her.

Jaal walked her back to her apartment and hugged her before she had a chance to unlock her door. "I'm glad we did this, Ella. I hope we can spend more time together, like this." 

She sighed in relief and hugged him back, "Me too, Jaal." She kissed his cheek and he kissed hers before stepping away, making sure she got into her apartment before walking away. Not bad for a first date.

\---

Jaal was gleeful after their date and called his true-mother immediately, gushing about how he cared for her and how she revealed that she cared for him. Sahuna was very happy for him and insisted that he bring Ella to meet the family. That's when Jaal let her know that Ella was Scott Ryder's sister, and didn't seem to like her family very much. 

"She doesn't like _her_ family, Jaal, that doesn't mean she dislikes families in general." She reasoned, not putting up with any excuses.

"I don't want to scare her, Mother." 

"Do not worry so much, everyone will be on their best behavior, I will make sure of it." She reassured him, and he agreed that he would at least invite Ella to meet the family, but it would be her choice. They talked a little while longer before Sahuna had to end the call.

He would do it, when Ella was cleared to leave the Nexus he would take her to Havarl, assuming she wanted to go. He was fairly busy helping the angaran ambassador the next day, so he sent Ella a message instead.

**JaalAmaDarav: Dearest Ella, I had a wonderful time last night. I would like to show you where I grew up and introduce you to my family. Your Taoshay, Jaal**

He waited eagerly for her response and got it a few minutes later.

**JustElla2163: Moving a little quickly, aren't we?**

**JaalAmaDarav: Do you not wish to meet my family? Should I not have asked?**

**JustElla2163: It was a joke, I'll explain it later, but I'd like to meet your family.**

**JaalAmaDarav: That is wonderful! When you are able to leave I'll take you to Havarl.**

**JustElla2163: I feel fine now, why wait?**

She had a point. Why wait for people she didn't like to give them permission when they could just leave? She would be safe with him, his family would keep her safe too. He was just as eager to get off the Nexus as she was. Well, maybe not, but he was close to being as eager as she was. 

**JaalAmaDarav: Let me see what I can do taoshay**

It didn't take that much to convince the ambassador to grant Jaal access to one of his shuttles, just a gentle reminder of all his good deeds and a promise to bring him some fresh fruit and the shuttle was his to use. That evening he knocked on Ella's door, smiling wide and brimming with excitement. She wasn't dressed up tonight but she was still just as beautiful. 

"Jaal, what are you doing here?" 

"Do you still want to go to Havarl with me?" 

Her face lit up as she realized what he was asking and she quickly pulled on her boots and grabbed her pistol, just in case. He wouldn't begrudge her a little extra security, Havarl did have some dangerous wildlife after all. Once she was ready to go they ran down to the docks and used the ambassador's passcode to get into the docking bay and onto his shuttle. It was built for angara so Jaal took the pilot's seat, grinning at how small Ella looked in her seat. They talked for a while but Ella ended up taking a nap as they continued on to Havarl. Looking over at her sleeping face he realized just how much he cared about her, and occupied his mind for the rest of the trip with fantasies of what their life could be and how he would make her happy.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read through the previous chapters last night and found some typos, so I'd like to ask that if you notice a spelling mistake or miswording that you let me know so I can fix it :)   
> I'm glad everyone has been enjoying this so far :D


	5. What I Could've Had

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ella meets Jaal's family and realizes exactly what she's been missing out on all these years. Sahuna and the others welcome her with open arms and it's emotionally overwhelming. Sorta follows the in-game romance scene but with some tweaks to make it fit better. But then of course some drama because that's how I like to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not know what happens after Jaal's "Flesh And Blood" loyalty mission if you're not romancing him, if anything. So for a little background here, Scott met Sahuna when they took home Jaal's siblings after everything that happened with Akksul. Just go with it my dudes.

Ella woke to Jaal gently shaking her shoulder. They had arrived at his childhood home on Havarl. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and straightened her clothing before following Jaal off the shuttle. A female angara ran out to greet them, hugging Jaal tightly. "Oh, my son, it is good to see you again! And this is your friend?" She released him and looked over to Ella smiling, arms loose and ready to hug. Ella smiled back and embraced the woman, if there was one thing she'd noticed about angarans, they liked the hugs. 

"I'm Ella, it's nice to meet you."

"I am Sahuna Ama Darav, Jaal's True-Mother, it is nice to meet you as well. I'm glad you and Jaal have become friends, he is my favorite. Smart, strong, talented, he writes poetry and sews..." 

"Mother..." Jaal interrupted, obviously embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I get carried away sometimes. I'm glad you two have come to visit." Sahuna turned to let them inside and announced them to the family, "Everyone! Jaal is home, and he has brought someone to meet us!"

Ella felt her face heat up with embarrassment as at least a dozen angara turned to look at her. "Everyone, I would like you to meet my dearest companion, Ella." Jaal said in his booming voice, gesturing to Ella with a grin. She waved weakly. "Hi..." There was suddenly a flood of "Hello's" and "Nice to Meet you's" along with people trying to talk to Jaal, her, Sahuna, and each other. Jaal chuckled and started pointing out cousins and siblings and mothers, listing off names she would never remember as he lead her through his home. They found solace in a small room where it was just the two of them. 

"You have a _lot_ of family, Jaal. It's a little overwhelming."

"It can be a lot to process sometimes, but they are always there when you need them. Just as I will always be there when you need me." He tilted her chin up to meet his eye, petting his thumb gently along her jaw. "I worry that you feel you cannot rely on others, that you are alone."

"I've always had to pull my own weight, Jaal. Prove my own worth."

"That is different. You do not trust your brother, you did not want to have anyone come with you on your travels, despite the risk. I have seen you put up walls when people tried to get to know the real you. I cannot make you change, but I want to show you there is a better way. A happier way. I will stay by your side no matter what, you can always rely on me."

She hesitates. She can tell he's being sincere but some nagging inner part of her fears that he's trying to get something from her, even though he had never been anything but good to her. She looks away. "You're too good for me, Jaal. You deserve better than some broken human who doesn't know what she wants."

"What I 'deserve' is irrelevant. I _want_ you, Ella Ryder. I want to make your heart sing, like you make mine sing." He takes her hand and brings it up to his lips, kissing it softly. "I brought you here to show you my affection, as you have shown me yours. Please, lay on the floor." 

She lets out a burst of nervous laughter before realizing he's serious. "Okay..." She eases onto the floor and lies down, really hoping his plan for showing affection isn't to jump her bones while his family is on the other side of the door. That thought is wiped from her mind as he activates some sort of star map. "Jaal...is this Heleus?"

"It is what I thought it to be as a child, a dream more than anything." 

"It's beautiful, and very impressive for the work of a child. When I was small I drew what I thought aliens and space would look like, and it was nothing like this."

"I'm sure it had its merits." he chuckled, lying next to her and holding her hand again. 

They spent time talking about things they dreamed of as children and things they dream of now. Things they hope to find and discover. She tells him her hopes and fears that she hasn't told anyone else, and he listens and reassures her.

\---

"It kills me that you have so much family, and that you actually know and love all of them. I just had Mom, Dad and Scott and Mom was the only one who ever really knew me. Scott was more likely to punch me or play some sort of prank on me than ever talk to me. And Dad...he liked Scott better. It was easier for them to talk to each other with their shared interests in guns, grenades and battle strategies. Even so, I loved him. I don't remember him ever saying he loved me though..." She drifted off, choking up a little. Jaal was unsure of what to say, there was no way to change the life she had lived, or to change the relationships she'd had. He pulled her to his chest in a hug, petting her back as she sniffled and tried to calm herself down. "I wish I had a family like yours is all I'm saying..."

"My family is far from perfect, taoshay. We can get competitive and rude, there can be rivalries. I think, because there are so many of us, it is easier to forget about the pain we can cause one another. And because there are so many of us, you are never left alone to worry over your worth. I want you to be happy, to know that you are amazing, every day of your life."

She chuckled softly and looked up from his chest, "Kinda sounds like you wanna be my boyfriend or something..."

"And what if I do? Would you have me?"

Again, she hesitated. He wished he knew what was going through her mind as her eyes flitted over him, searching for answers he didn't know the questions to. Whatever doubts she had seemed to fade away as she smiled and set her hand on his cheek. "I think I would like having you by my side. I can't promise that it'll be perfect, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?" 

He grinned and leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. She adjusted herself and kissed him tenderly, her lips soft and pliable against his own thinner, firmer ones. She didn't seem to mind the difference as she put her arms around his mantle. He breathed in her scent, smells he had only recently learned existed. Coffee and shea butter and a hint of her perfume from the night before lingered on her, so foreign and yet enjoyable, if only because it was _her_ smell. She was the first to pull away, breathing a little harder as she sat up. He followed, reluctant to lose contact with her. "That was wonderful, Jaal, but I don't know how to feel about making out while your family is right there."

"Ah, I suppose that is a fair point. Would you like to go for a walk? Havarl is beautiful, I would like to show it to you." Her smile was all he needed to get up and go, leading her down along winding paths, naming the different plants and animals that they saw.

They both had a gun with them, as always, but in his enjoyment of her company his guard was down and they had wandered further from home than they should have. He was knocked to the ground as a challyrion pounced upon him. He scrambled for his dagger and stabbed the beast, he could hear Ella calling out for him before being suddenly silenced and got to his feet as quickly as he could. He lacked most of his usual equipment, he wasn't even wearing his visor, so he couldn't look for any heat signatures to try and follow who or whatever had taken Ella. His only clue was a dead body she had managed to leave behind before being taken, a human in Outcast armor. Why was someone from Kadara here?! He marked his location in his omni-tool and ran back to his family home. 

"Jaal! You're back, where is your friend?" One of the mothers asked, concern quickly growing in her voice as she realized how hard he was panting. 

"Ella was taken! I wasn't ready and I didn't protect her!" He sobbed out, the panic and despair hitting him hard. 

"We'll find her, Jaal." The mother set her hand on his back to comfort him. His outburst hadn't gone unheard and soon enough many of his siblings and some of the mothers had gotten equipped and ready to go on a rescue mission. Jaal used his fear to drive him forward, getting properly equipped before leading his family to where he and Ella had been attacked. He also made a call to Scott. 

"Contact your friends at Kadara, Ryder. The Outcasts took Ella."

"That's impossible, Jaal, the Outcasts were dismantled." 

"That doesn't explain why a human mercenary in their armor attacked us on Havarl and took your sister!" 

"Shit...I'll call Reyes, see if he can help." 

"You'd better." he snarled as he ended the call. His respect for Scott had decreased drastically since getting to know Ella. Now here he was, reacting to news about the Outcasts before reacting to the fact that Ella, his own sister, was taken. He had finally told her his feelings, and his inattentiveness had made him lose her. He would get her back, or die trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 1:30 am as I am starting to write this chapter. And I do write them on the spot, I have a notebook with like some vague chapter outlines but I don't have this stuff proofread or written ahead of time as a rough draft to be fine tuned I'm just pumping out words as they come to me. It's 1:32 am and I am writing fanfiction. Wowzers.


	6. Never Letting Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaal tracks down the Outcast and goes on a rescue mission.   
> WARNING: This chapter contains implied non-con/rape. Nothing graphic but I feel it necessary to warn just in case.

Jaal's heart hadn't stopped pounding, there was no way he could calm down with Ella gone. What could they possibly want with her? Had they followed them to Havarl just to get her? Why? Did Scott have something to do with this? He had sided with the Collective, destroying the Outcasts. Were they going to kill Ella as revenge? He growled and punched a nearby tree, shaking with emotion. Sahuna took his face in her hands, pulling his forehead against hers. "We will find her, Jaal, I promise."

"Why her? Why _now?"_

"I don't know, but we will find out, and we will save her. Stay strong and clear, my son. She needs you at your best right now." 

He nodded and took a deep breath before continuing to search for any signs of Outcasts in the area. His family had fanned out, hoping to pick up on the kidnapper's' trail. Their search was cut short as they saw a shuttle lifting off in the distance, it was painted the Outcast colors and Jaal's heart sank. They were leaving with her. "Someone find their campsite and see if they left anything behind, I have to follow them!" He shouted before turning and running to his shuttle as fast as his legs could carry. It felt empty without Ella there to join him, but he couldn't focus on that. It was time to bury his feelings and focus, as Evfra had taught him. The Outcasts had a head start, but he was able to follow without too much trouble so long as they stayed within range of the shuttle's sensors. He pulled Scott up on his comm while he flew. "Ryder, _please_ tell me that you have something."

"Reyes said there's been no sign of Outcast activity in his reports."

"That's it?"

"There aren't a lot of leads, buddy. How are things on your end?"

"I'm following their shuttle, as soon as they land I will slaughter them all."

"Sounds like you've got things pretty under control then." Scott stated, calm as can be.

"Where is your soul, Ryder?"

"Beg pardon?"

"Where is your _soul_ , Ryder? Did you lose it at some point? Your only sister is missing and you don't even sound concerned!"

"I have faith that you'll get her back, Jaal. Besides, last time I rescued her she was a bitch about it."

"This is not the same, Ryder!" 

"I'm sure. Listen, Jaal, I have other things to do. If you need backup feel free to call but until you have something that I can actually do, I can't help ya." And with that Scott hung up. Jaal was seething. How dare he? What kind of motherless skutt-headed adhi was he? He sighed. Focus. He had to focus, he could be angry later. He followed the Outcast shuttle to exactly the place he expected to go, Kadara. As if this day had not been terrible enough, he would now have to return to Kadara. They did not go to the port, however, and instead landed somewhere in the mountains. He couldn't follow in his shuttle without getting caught and ambushed, so he went to the port. 

Storming into the bar it was easy to find Vidal in his usual spot. He stood as soon as he saw him. "Jaal, why are you here?"

"There are Outcasts on your planet again, Vidal, and they have Ella." 

"Are you certain?"

"I saw them land their shuttle in the mountains. I will need help to save her. I will go alone if I must, but she is more likely to be freed if I have assistance."

"I understand. There are plenty of people who would gladly hunt down the Outcasts with you. I'll gather a team and get you out there, just give me a little time."

"They could kill her!"

"If they only wanted her dead they would have done so immediately. They kidnapped her, yes? They took her _alive_. That means they have a reason to keep her alive." 

That...actually made sense. They tried to kill him, but they stole her. There was some hope, not much, but some. He could only hope that they didn't change their minds while Vidal gathered a team to help him on this rescue mission. It took a little over an hour but Vidal gave exactly what he said he would, a team of 7 who were just as ready to tear the Outcasts apart as he was. They were provided a rover and Jaal gave direction to where he saw the shuttle land. It took nearly another hour before they finally found what they were looking for, a base built inside of a large cavern, hidden away from where most scouts would see it. 

They left the rover and crept towards the base, Jaal took a few guards out with his sniper rifle, allowing them entrance into the base. There were less than 30 people in their group, but not all of them were Outcasts. Some seemed to be civilians who had taken up arms, there were some angarans tucked away into the corner, seemingly reluctant to be part of this group, a few wore Roekaar armor. It suddenly hit him what this was: a group of people who hated the Pathfinder. And with him being safe and secure on the Nexus or Tempest at all times the best way to get to him would be to go after his only remaining family. If only they had known how separated the Ryder twins were from one another, they may have never taken Ella. He didn't see Ella anywhere, but there was a locked door with guards standing in front of it, so that was where she was most likely being kept.

Without the fear of hitting her on accident Jaal started firing into the crowd, gesturing for the team to move in and take them out. They had the element of surprise on their side and quickly turned the situation into a bloodbath. Jaal ran to the locked door and tore open the panel near it, tearing through one of the wires to cause the door to disengage the lock, the then pried it open with his hands, his adrenalin covering up any discomfort or strain from the effort. Ella was there, and she was not alone.

She was on the floor with a naked man leaning over her. Jaal ripped the man off of her and punched him until his body fell limp. He then rushed to Ella's side. Her arms were tied behind her back and her mouth gagged, muffling her sobs. She was nearly naked, only her underwear remained. Her body was covered in bruises and cuts so he was very careful as he lifted her to his chest, cutting the ropes that bound her. She pulled off her gag and then hugged him, sobbing into his chest. He held her close, his own cries finally escaping him. Anger and fear and relief all bubbled to the surface and there was no holding it back. 

As he started to calm down he gently held Ella away from him. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, confused and obviously a little hurt by the action. He kissed he forehead quickly to reassure her before taking off his rofjinn and handing it to her. She smiled weakly and put it on, the garment far too large for her as it covered her entire torso, but that is what he had intended. He knew humans were not fond of nudity and he wanted to make her more comfortable, and given what had happened, or what was about to happen to her, comfort was something she needed more than anything. 

\---

Things were a bit of a blur after her rescue. She had only been gone for a few hours yet she was exhausted and traumatized. She clung to Jaal like her life depended on it and at some point someone provided her with clothing. She and Jaal did not speak, for no words were needed to convey their feelings, their shared moment of vulnerability had been enough. Some people tried to ask her what happened but Jaal would just shake his head no and hold her closer. No one needed to know the details of what happened to her, just that her captors were dead and they had all hated Scott for some reason or another. When they finally returned to the Nexus they found Lexi waiting for them, Scott had sent a message ahead that Ella would need medical help, and it had to be from someone she knew. someone she could feel safe around. Sure, Lexi and Ella weren't friends, but Ella had never felt unsafe around her, just annoyed. 

"Ella, I need you to tell me whatever you can remember." 

"I-I can't..." She looked over to Jaal, she had been holding onto him this whole time, yet she didn't want him to know the extent of what had happened.

"If you are amenable to the idea, I could meld my mind with yours. I could see what happened and get the details of your attack that I need, and you wouldn't have to say anything about it."

"Please..." She let go of Jaal so she could focus on Lexi, taking a deep breath before 'embracing eternity.' Her mind flashed through everything that had happened. The fear at seeing Jaal attacked, shooting one of the attackers, somehow ending up in a cave afterwards. The beatings, the stripping, the touches she didn't want. Then she was thrown into a private room with the leader of the gang, who had tried to force her to give him oral. When she bit him he gagged her mouth and beat her senseless. He was about to go further when Jaal came in, looking like a wild animal as he tore open the door and beat the gang leader to a bloody pulp.  When she came back to herself she felt tears on her cheeks, and saw that there were tears on Lexi's cheeks too. Her anguish had been a shared emotion it seemed. Lexi set a gentle hand on her shoulder and wrote some notes into her datapad. She treated her cuts and gave her some pain medication. She also gave her some information about getting a therapist, should she need it, then allowed her and Jaal to leave her office. 

Jaal walked her back to her apartment and she brought him inside with her, locking the door behind them with shaking hands. He sat with her on the couch and she finally found her voice again. "How did you find me?"

"As soon as I realized you were gone I got my family to help me look for you. We saw their shuttle leave with you and I followed all the way to Kadara. I had tried to get Scott to help me but...He was being as you have said him to be, I finally saw his coldness for myself. On Kadara I knew where you were but I knew I could not save you alone. Vidal gathered a team to help me save you and you know what happened from there."

"Your family wanted to help save me but Scott didn't? That's such bullshit! But...that does sound about right, too." She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for caring about me, Jaal."

"I love you, Ella. I would never give up on you." He put his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. She leaned up and kissed him tenderly, her doubts about him and his feelings gone. He loved her, and she loved him, and maybe that could be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another kinda short one but this is the last of the bad feelios. It's gonna get happier (and smuttier) from this point on. Thank you for your patience and as always let me know if you liked it :) Or if you hate me now, that is also acceptable


	7. Hold Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaal and Ella are happy together, and after having some time to heal, they're ready to move to the next step of their relationship.  
> Warning: Sexy Times, Smutty Smut, It's happening people

**2 Months Post-Kidnapping**

Ella was grateful for Jaal. He was patient and caring, he did everything he could to make her happy and didn't try to pressure her into anything she didn't want to do. She'd been regularly attending therapy after the Outcast ordeal, learning to cope with and let go of the memories that plagued her. She loved Jaal, she wanted to be with him, but initially the thought of being sexual with him made her feel dirty and unworthy. Now she's had some time to let go and move on with her life. Not a lot of time, perhaps, but people grow at their own rates, and with Jaal by her side as constant support she was able to grow rather easily.

Jaal had started staying in her apartment with her to help soothe her after nightmares and help her feel safe, so that's where she found him after returning home from her latest therapy session. Her therapist had said she was doing well and that if she wanted to be sexually active, she should do it, reclaim her sexual identity for herself and not let those who had hurt her win. She felt a little anxious about approaching Jaal for sex, he loved her and she loved him, but they had only kissed and cuddled. To suddenly ask for sex would be awkward. 

Jaal was reading something off of a datapad and didn't immediately react to her coming inside, engrossed in whatever he was reading. She took off her shoes and jacket and walked over to him, setting a gentle hand on his head, petting along the pattern of his crown. He hummed and leaned into her touch. "My taoshay, you are home."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything good, you were so focused."

"I am just reading about the other species that have not yet made it to Andromeda. The history of the quarians will not change because I set down the datapad." He smiled up at her, grabbing her hand and bring it down to kiss her palm. 

She took a deep breath and gently brought herself down to be straddling his thighs, so small in his lap. He smiled and put his arms around her, leaning in to kiss her softly. She brought her hands up to his shoulders and massaged them gently. He was in his tights that angara wore under their suits and a t-shirt Liam had given him. The collar of the shirt hard been cut to accommodate his mantle, but even so the garment fit snugly and she could feel his muscles under her fingertips. He relaxed under her touch, as he always did, so she was off to a good start. She gently slid her hands up his mantle, letting her fingertips lightly trace over the ridges and scars, eliciting a soft groan from him. He broke the kiss to look at her quizzically. She smiled and kissed him again, continuing her light petting of his scalp. She pressed gently against him and he broke the kiss again, grabbing her wrists and bringing her hands down to his chest. 

"Ella, what do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing, I was just touching."

"You have a goal, I can tell. Be honest with me, what are you going for?"

"I...Gosh this is gonna sound terrible, fuck. I...I love you, Jaal, very very much."

"And I love you, Ella. That does not answer my question."

"I'm getting there, this is just kind of awkward, okay? I love you and I want to be with you..."

"You are with me."

She sighed and pressed her forehead against his, closing her eyes. "I want to _be with_ you. I want to make you happy."

"You already make me happy, Ella, more than this is not necessary. I won't lay with you if it is not what you want for yourself."

"I want you, Jaal. Nothing would make me happier." She kissed him softly and he reciprocated without another word, petting her back gently. She slid her hands across his chest, feeling his foreign musculature. He hummed contentedly and gently moved his hands from her back down to her thighs, squeezing them and causing her to moan. She pressed down into him, grinding gently against his groin, causing him to moan in response and kiss her with a little more fervor. After a few minutes of heated kissing and feeling each other up Jaal lays her down onto the couch, sitting up above her. he gently slid his fingers under the edge of her shirt and slid them up slowly, looking up at her to check before sliding her shirt off. He leaned in to kiss her neck and shoulders, gently trailing down her collarbone and sternum. She sat up, surprising him for a moment as she reached behind her to unhook her bra and slide it off. He smiled when laid back down and went back to kissing her body, pressing soft kisses to her breasts and the dark nipples that peaked them. 

She gasped, "Lick them, p-please." He obeyed, swirling his tongue around both nipples before gently sucking on one. She keened and placed a hand on his head, gently scratching him. He smiled and went and did the same to the other nipple, causing a similar reaction. He let her go and trailed his tongue down her abdomen, kissing just above the hem of her pants, looking up to her again for permission. She nodded quickly and he eased off her pants and pulled away to slide them completely off of her, laying them on the floor. He then returned to her and started to kiss and lick along her thighs. She moaned and lifted her hips gently, as if instinctively trying to bring his attention to her core. He gently rubbed along her slit through the fabric, teasing her in the hopes of getting her to explicitly say what she wants instead of just nodding. He works a few gasps out of her before she surrenders, whining for him. "Jaal, _please,_ stop teasing and take them off."

He smirked up at her and pulled her underwear off slowly, liking how Ella pouted up at him. Before she could complain again he kissed his way down her thigh to the apex of her legs, teasing his tongue along her labia before sliding up the length of her to kiss her clitoris, a thing she honestly didn't expect him to know about. Any questions about how he became acquainted with human anatomy are wiped away by the pleasure of him sucking on her clit while sliding his finger into her and curling it upwards, hitting her g-spot perfectly. She mewls and arches up into him and he continues his fine work, toying with her g-spot while giving marvelous pleasure to her clit. He pulls his finger away and replaces it with his bundled fingers, easing them into her so as not to hurt as he prepares her for what's to come. It takes her very little time to reach her orgasm and she shivers as he licks her clean afterwards, humming softly against her sensitive skin.

After a few minutes to cool down and collect herself she sits up and kisses him, not giving a good god damn that the taste of her still lingers on his tongue. "Let's take this to the bed, hmm? I don't want to break the couch." Jaal beamed and climbed off of the couch and helped her stand before practically dragging her to the bedroom in his excitement. "Alright, get naked and sit against the headboard." Jaal obeyed eagerly, unable to stop smiling like a dope as he did. Once he was where she wanted him she got on the bed and crawled up to him, climbing into his lap and bracing herself on the headboard behind him with one hand as the other reached down to stroke him. He groaned and leaned in to suck on her neck. she positioned him against her entrance and rocked her hips, teasing him before sliding down onto his length, groaning as he stretched her beyond what any previous partner had. She slowly eased down until she was sitting in his lap, his cock fully buried in her. He shook slightly, resisting the urge to thrust into her, she was in control and she needed to go at her pace. He instead occupied himself with kissing her passionately, placing both hands on her ass and squeezing as his tongue explored every sensitive corner of her mouth. 

She started out slowly, letting the ridges of his cock drag along her walls, wanting to feel every inch of him. She could tell Jaal was getting antsy though and started to go faster, holding onto the headboard for support as she rode him. He held onto her thighs, groaning and trying his hardest to not buck up into her or disrupt her. After 10 minutes of fucking him though her legs were getting sore and she didn't want to be in charge anymore. "O-okay Jaal, your turn, do your worst." She sighed out as she slumped down onto his chest. 

\---

He growled softly and slid her off of him, laying her on her stomach and climbing behind her. He lifted up her hips and pressed against her. "Wrap your legs around me, darling one." She did as he asked closed her legs behind him, her knees at her hips and her feet pressing into his back. She supported her upper body on her forearms, looking back at him. He savored the view of her for a moment before thrusting into her, hard. She moaned loudly and that was enough to spur him on to continue, holding her tightly as he hammered into her, grunting and groaning as he did. She felt amazingly tight, and wet and by the stars was she hot. She was crying out his name and begging for more and it took all of his willpower to not finish then and there. She screamed and tightened around him and that's what finally pushed him over the edge. He thrust in a final time and released himself into her. 

Once done he gently lowered her onto the bed, sliding out of her and getting up shakily to grab a towel to wipe them both off. Once done cleaning up he lied down next to her, kissing her shoulder softly. "Taoshay? Are you well? I wasn't too rough, was I?"

"No, you did great. Thank you." She smiled and reached up to pet his cheek. He leaned into her touch before grabbing her hand to kiss her palm again.

"I am glad you trust me enough to lay with me."

"I'm glad you loved me enough to wait this long. Many human men wouldn't."

"Then let us be glad that I am angaran, hmm?" He smiled and kissed her softly before settling down, holding her in his arms and drifting off to sleep.


	8. I'll Be Yours If You'll Be Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ella is on a rollercoaster of emotions that she didn't sign up for, and Jaal is along for the ride. A visit to Lexi reveals why and Jaal is very excited.  
> Warning: Sexy times again

Some time had passed since Jaal and Ella first became physically intimate, and it had now become a comfortable habit for the two of them. A kiss and a smack on the butt before leaving, cuddling that became sex then went back to cuddling. They made each other happy, and that was enough. Or at least it had been until recently. Now Ella felt like she was just a little bit on edge at all times, and she had no idea why. Not only that, but her sex drive had increased drastically, and Jaal wasn't around to help her. It wasn't that she wanted sex, she wanted Jaal, _her_ Jaal. But he had gone to Aya for a week and it was driving her mad being separated from him. 

She made herself dinner and put on a vid, _Fleet and Flotilla._  A love story seemed fitting for a night where she was lonely and missing her lover. By the end of the movie she was crying and hugging a pillow. There had been a happy ending, why was she so upset? Was it because she couldn't share in that feeling of joyful love? He was coming back in two days, it wasn't like he had dumped her! But what if he _was_ dumping her? _What if he never planned on coming back?_ She started crying harder, hugging the pillow tighter. Dammit, dammit, dammit! She should have gone with him! She should have told him how much he meant to her more often. Things had seemed great but that was by her _human_ standard, what if he had decided he wanted a proper Angaran family?

She fell asleep on her couch, still hugging the pillow. In the morning she took a shower and made herself breakfast and found that she was still hungry, so she made even more. She ate enough for three people and cried about how she was eating her emotions and was going to make herself fat, as if she wasn't already fat. Maybe that's why Jaal went to Aya, to find a nice slim woman to carry on his legacy. She wiped her eyes and got dressed, choosing to go out and buy herself something to cheer her up from this melancholy mood she'd been in. She ended up with some new video games to play once she got home, distracting her from her unhappy worries and instead focusing on a fantasy world of elves and dragons, based loosely on old Earth myths. She had to wonder if some of the so-called mages and witches from those times were actually the first human biotics, there would never be any way of knowing, but it was interesting to ponder nonetheless. 

The next morning she awoke to Jaal calling out to her. She checked the time and saw that it was 11 in the morning. How had she slept in so late? She quickly got out of bed and rushed out to see Jaal standing in their living room, smiling and going to her with open arms. "Taoshay! How I have missed you!" He scooped her up and she giggled, hugging him tightly around his big, stupid head and kissing his crest repeatedly. 

"I thought you weren't going to come back!"

"Why would you think that, darling one?"

"I don't know. I just...I was worried that you got bored of me and wanted to find a better partner..."

Jaal gasped indignantly and hugged her tightly, "I would never do such a thing! I love you, Ella Ryder, nothing will change that." He gently lowered her down and held her face in his hands, kissing her forehead. 

"I love you too, Jaal Ama Darav, I've just had a really emotional few days I guess."

"I've missed you, too~" He purred, moving his hands down to her hips and pulling her closer to him. 

"Yes please~" She hummed back, sliding her hands up along his chest. 

They stumbled back to their bedroom, removing their clothes along the way. She had a much easier time of it, seeing as she had only gone to bed in a large t-shirt and underwear. Jaal, on the other hand, had to remove his rofjinn, his soft suit, and his under clothes. Somehow they made it and toppled onto the bed together. Jaal started to kiss down her body and she grabbed onto his mantle, pulling him back up. "I don't want that, I want to feel you inside of me, right now. I'll go mad if you make me wait." He seemed a little stunned by her words but did not deny her, instead leaning in to kiss her while pushing her legs apart and lying between them. He slid his bundled fingers into her with surprising ease, her anticipation alone had made her incredibly wet. He gave a few quick pumps before pulling his hand out and stroking himself to fullness before lining up and pushing into her. She gasped and arched up into him, keening. "Fucking christ, I love you!"

\---

Jaal's groan rumbled in his chest as he took a moment to appreciate her before starting to move. He kept his pace slow at first, just to make sure he would not hurt her. When she whined and bucked under him he pinned down her hips and started to go at her hard and fast, grunting with the effort. It was like they were making up for lost time as they rutted like animals. Something about her was different, he could not tell what, but her pheromones had been enticing him to her before he even stepped into the apartment. He had been missing her while he was gone, yes, but this was not the same. He had wanted to hold her and make love to her, but her body was begging to be marked, to be taken for his own. She rocked against him, clutching at him and scratching him, crying out for him over and over. It took all of his control to not come undone then and there.

He pulled out and rolled her over, and she eagerly got onto her hands and knees, arching so her beautiful ass was on full display. He squeezed her soft cheeks before getting into position and thrusting back into her. She was incredibly receptive to his every movement, rocking to meet his thrusts and adjusting her position without needing to be asked. He held her hips tightly and fucked her hard and fast until she climaxed around him, the tight muscles of her velvety sheath squeezing and milking him for everything he had. He had wanted to last longer, to bring her more pleasure, but it was too much for him and he came, releasing himself deep into her body, as they usually did. She shivered and he pet her back gently before pulling out of her and lying next to her.

She hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his chest. He pet her hair gently and they enjoyed a few moments before she suddenly yanked away from him and ran to the bathroom. His feeling of disappointment was quickly overcome by concern as he heard her vomiting. This had never happened before, he had never even known her to get sick before. He followed to the bathroom and watched helplessly as she retched. When she finally stopped he helped her stand, "My love, how long have you been ill?"

"I haven't been, I've been moody, and hungrier than usual, but I'm not sick. It's not food poisoning, I haven't eaten yet today."

"We should see Lexi, she may know the cause."

"I'd rather not."

"If you are sick we need to know so you can feel better. We do not know what kind of disease this could be, either. We wouldn't want to risk contamination to the whole station, would we?"

She sighed, relenting. "You're right, we wouldn't want that. Just give me a moment to clean up and get dressed, okay?"

"Of course, Taoshay. I will message Lexi ahead of time to let her know."

He left the bathroom and paced around the living room, quickly writing to Lexi:

**JaalAmaDarav: Lexi, Ella is sick and we are not sure why. I am uncomfortable with discussing these matters but we plan to visit you shortly. -Jaal**

**dr_tperro: Not a problem Jaal, I'm sure it's just some flu, but it never hurts to check with a professional**

**JaalAmaDarav: She felt ill after we coupled, I worry that I may have been to passionate with her.**

**dr_tperro: That is highly unfortunate. If it is any comfort she probably would have gotten sick no matter what you two did.**

**JaalAmaDarav: It is not.**

He closed his omni-tool as Ella came out, dressed and ready to go. He could smell the mint of her toothpaste and was silently thankful that mint existed. They went to the transit and found their way to Lexi's Nexus office. A place Ella had been to many times in anger, but now she seemed remarkably calm. Maybe it was because she was also concerned about her health, for once. He squeezed her hand and she smiled at him tiredly. Lexi came out and started asking a series of questions about how she'd been feeling the past few days, if she had been feeling unusual recently, what her symptoms were. All pretty standard questions, he thought, but then the last one came and he saw something change in both women's faces.

"When was your last menstrual period?"

"I...I'm not sure."

Jaal only knew the bare minimum about what a menstrual period was, Ella had explained that it was a natural part of human females' reproductive health, but had not given him details on why it happened or what it meant to have it or not have it. 

"Ella, I'm going to need a urine sample."

"I...Yeah. Yeah, okay." Ella left to a small side-room and Lexi left him as well. Ella came back out a few minutes later and they both waited patiently for Lexi to rejoin them. He was entirely unsure of what was happening but Ella's face told him that whatever it was, it was not good.

\---

Ella had to resist the urge to cry (again) as she sat with Jaal, waiting. She couldn't be pregnant. How the hell could she possibly be pregnant? She and Jaal were different species, this sort of thing shouldn't be possible for them. But if she was pregnant then that was wonderful, right? Angarans valued family above all things, and Jaal valued her above all things. He wouldn't leave her, but was she ready for this? They hadn't talked about having children, technically neither of them were employed, they just had money, but eventually it was bound to run out. They shared her one-bedroom apartment, but that was no place to start a family. She didn't know what to expect from others learning of this hybrid maybe-baby. Would her baby be in danger, as she had been in danger? 

Her thoughts stopped as Lexi came back out smiling. This was it, this was the moment of truth, this moment could change their lives forever.

"Congratulations are in order!"

"She's not sick?" Jaal interrupted, obviously out of the loop with this.

"No, far from it. What she was experiencing earlier was something humans like to call Morning Sickness. Ella, Jaal, you're going to be parents." 

Ella watched Jaal's face go from concern and confusion to absolute euphoria in seconds. He turned to her, grinning, and she couldn't help but smile back. She kissed him softly and he put his arms around her, hugging her tightly to his chest. She turned her head, laying it on Jaal's shoulder and looking at Lexi.

"How is this possible? We shouldn't be compatible for this kind of thing, right?"

"That is far from the truth, in actuality. Yours is not the first surprise pregnancy between an angaran and a milky way species. Recently a turian and an agaran woman discovered they were expecting. We can't be sure of how this works just yet, but I do have a theory. Because the Angara were engineered by the Jardaan, I believe that their DNA has been engineered for adaptability. Reproduction is a key part of survival, being able to reproduce with non-Angarans could potentially save their species, if it got to that point. This is just a theory, however, and we have no idea what to expect from your pregnancy or your child, so I do ask that you keep me up to date so I may keep track of what happens. This is history in the making, Ella."

"Who cares about history when we are going to have a baby?" Jaal interjected, still sounding so gleeful about the news. Lexi chuckled and agreed that their own happiness was the priority, of course. Ella was still a little shocked, but knowing that she was not alone and would not be the only woman having an interspecies child made her feel better about the situation. 

They left Lexi's office hand-in-hand and Jaal was immediately talking about visiting Havarl to tell his family the good news, and telling Scott, what they might need to get for their baby. She sighed and put her hand up to his mouth, stopping his excited rambling. "Jaal, are you sure you want to have this baby?"

"Of course I am, nothing would make me happier."

"I was kidnapped on Havarl and tortured on Kadara because I'm Scott's sister. Do you think his nephew or niece will be any safer? Bringing another Ryder into the world may not be a safe idea."

"The child does not have to be a Ryder, Ella."

" _I'm_ a Ryder, Jaal. I can't change who I am."

"You don't have to be a Ryder, either." She gave him a confused look before he crouched down onto one knee, looking very uncomfortable as he did so. She gasped and stared at him wide-eyed. "Ella Ryder, will you marry me? I don't know much about how to propose like a human, or how to bond to you like a human, but I will learn whatever I must to make you happy. I love you, and I will love our child, if you just give me that chance to be yours, eternally." 

She wiped at her eyes as tears started to fall. She nodded vigorously and he stood up, scooping her into his arms and spinning with her, kissing her over and over again until she broke into a fit of giggles. When he finally sat her back on her feet and she got back in control of herself she sighed softly, leaning against his chest.

"Sahuna will be so excited." 

 


	9. Showered in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaal and Ella tell the people in their lives the good news and plans and parties are made.

Ella and Scott may not have been friends, but they were family, and her pregnancy was definitely a family matter. So she swallowed her distaste for her twin and went to see him while Jaal made arrangements for them to go to Havarl. She took a deep breath then knocked to the beat of "shave and a hair cut," something that she and Scott always did when they were younger. Leading in with some pleasant nostalgia might make it easier to talk to him. She cracked a smile when he knocked back "two bits" before opening the door.

"Hey Scott."

"Ella. It's been some time, are you done being mad at me?"

"Probably not, but this is more important than being annoyed with each other. May I come in?"

He stepped aside, gesturing broadly for her to come inside, then followed her in, closing the door behind them. "Has something happened? More Outcasts? Jaal get murdered?"

"No! No nothing like that! This is _good_ important news, for once."

"Well now I know you're lying, there's never good news on the Nexus." He teased, leaning against the wall. She huffed and crossed her arms. "Sorry, sorry, I'm sure whatever you have to say is important. Go ahead."

"I'm pregnant, Scott."

His smirk dropped immediately as he stood up straight, staring at her wide eyed. "But...I thought you and Jaal were a thing? Oh fuck was it those Outcast bastards? That's not good news at all, Ella!" 

"No no no nonononono!" She rushed to explain, realizing that he, too, thought angaran/human reproduction was impossible. "The baby is Jaal's, Jaal and I are having a child. Apparently Angara can have babies with anyone? Lexi has some theories about why but there's an Angaran woman on the ship with a turian baby-daddy, it's not just me, this is apparently just something that can happen."

"So...you're just pregnant?" 

"I mean, I wouldn't say _just_ pregnant, but yes. No tragedy lying underneath, just two people who love each other bringing a new life into the world."

Scott took a moment to process then grinned. "So I'm gonna be an Uncle?"

"Yes, you idiot." She sighed, chuckling as he came over to her and hugged her. It was the first time they'd hugged since before going into cryogenic stasis. She patted his back then pulled away and set her hand on her stomach. "We don't know much about how this pregnancy will be. It's hard to give a time frame for something that's never happened before. Jaal and I are going to go to Havarl to tell his family and make some arrangements." 

"For the baby?"

"Yes, I don't want to raise a child here on the Nexus. I don't know if Jaal will want me to join his family or if he'd be okay with a more human approach to these things. He asked me to marry him, Scott." 

"Yes!!! Fuck yes!"

"What?"

"Liam and I had a bet going. I bet him that Jaal would propose this year, Liam bet that he'd wait until at least next year. That's 500 credits for me-" He saw her scowl and cleared his throat, quickly changing tone, "To use for your baby shower, of course!"

"That's better. I should get going though, Jaal went to get a shuttle arranged for us. Knowing him he's already packed and ready to go as we speak."

"Go ahead, I need time to plan a baby shower anyway. Call Reyes and let him know the good news."

"Why does Reyes need to know about this? He and I aren't friends."

"No, but if I'm going to be an uncle, and he's my lover, then by extension he's going to be an uncle."

"We'll see about that, Scott. I'll let you know when we're planetside, talk to you later." She left his apartment with a sigh, she wasn't keen on Reyes Vidal knowing about this, given his criminal connections and location on Kadara. Her child would never be allowed to go there, at least not until they were a fully capable adult. Jaal wouldn't object, he had already disliked Reyes and Kadara before she was even awake. 

She went down to the dock to find that Jaal was, indeed, ready and waiting for her with two bags. They were taking a shuttle with some other Angarans who wanted to visit the homeworld. Sure it would be more crowded than last time, but she felt safer having other people around her, and it was nice not having to have either her or Jaal flying the ship. They sat hand-in-hand during the flight, talking casually to each other and others. Everyone seemed genuinely happy for the couple, which helped to reassure her about the situation they were in. If these strangers were happy to see them in love, then Jaal's family would be happy too. Sahuna would definitely be happy about having a new addition to the family, or two new additions really. She didn't know what the angara did for weddings, or bonding or whatever. Did they even have ceremonies? Jaal's entire lifetime had been occupied by the kett, celebrations were probably rare, but wasn't this worth celebrating?

When they arrived on Havarl some of Jaal's family was there to meet them. She wasn't sure if it was excitement that brought them there, or if it was a sense of protectiveness. They had tried to help Jaal save her before, maybe they wanted to make sure they got to their home safely. Either way she appreciated seeing them there. Jaal could not stop grinning, but he kept their secret for a little while longer, they had agreed to tell everyone at once so no one would feel left out. She was a little anxious about telling such a large crowd about such a personal matter, but if she was going to be Jaal's wife, then that meant they were going to be her family too. Sahuna hugged them as soon as they stepped foot inside, calling them both her favorites yet again. After letting go of Ella she sniffed and gave her an odd look before looking to Jaal curiously. He cleared his throat before calling out loudly for everyone to hear.

"My family! If I could please have your attention!" He gave them a moment to settle down before continuing, "As you know, Ella Ryder is very dear to me. I have asked her to become my bondmate." He paused again as people started to cheer and congratulate them, then motioned for them to please settle down again. "Ella and I are going to be parents!" Gasps and cheers and even more congratulations followed this. Sahuna picked Ella up and hugged her tightly, speaking to her so quickly that her translator couldn't pick up on it all. What she did understand was something about 'so happy,' 'knew you smelled different,' and 'never imagined.' Ella sniffled and wiped at her eyes as she heard someone say "Ella Ama Darav has a nice sound to it." She was so overwhelmed by all the positivity and joy surrounding them and started to cry.

\---

Jaal's heart was pounding, his cheeks hurt from smiling, everything felt so wonderful. He was getting clapped on the shoulder and hugged and congratulated so much that he almost didn't notice Ella had started crying. _Almost._ He pulled away from Lathoul and went to her immediately. "Taoshay, what is wrong?" 

She looked up to him, smiling through her tears. "I was so worried but everyone is being so wonderful..."

"You're family now, why would they be mean to you?" 

"Because I'm different? I've been really moody the past couple of days anyway, I thought you were going to leave me for someone else when you visited Aya."

"I know. But I promise you, I will fill your every day with joy and happiness, no matter how moody you get." He kissed her softly and felt her relax a little. He pulled away and wiped her tears before putting an arm around her waist, talking to more family with her by his side. There were questions about human bonding ceremonies and human babies that she was more than happy to answer. Eventually the excitement died down and everyone started to go back to their own business, but Sahuna stayed with them, asking questions about if Ella had eaten enough today, if she was comfortable, if human birth was especially painful, fretting and doting over her like she did any of her children. She mentioned something about a "baby shower" that confused him. "You have a party to clean your child?"

"What? Oh...No, no that's not what a baby shower is love. It's a party humans throw before the child is born to help the parents welcome them into the world by giving them gifts for their future baby. Like clothing and toys for the baby, or stuff to help make the parents lives easier. It's not an actual shower."

"Ah. We don't have anything like that because of how our families are structured. We share everything with each other, and the mothers share the burden of raising children, if the baby's true-mother is sick another mother will help without question."

"Yes, but as a human that's not what I'm used to. And this reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you. If I become your wife or bondmate or whatever, will I have to live here and become one of the mothers?" 

Sahuna interrupted before he could say anything. "It is never an issue of having to. If an agaran woman decided she didn't want to join a family, but she wanted to bond to a member of that family, they could start their own house. You are more than welcome to do the same. I would like it if you lived here on Havarl, but I understand that this place can be dangerous and is not ideal for humans."

"That's...a huge relief actually. I have no problem with your family it's just too much for me. I was thinking that I'd like to live on Meridian, it's beautiful, has a good climate. I think it would be a great place to start a family."

"Whatever makes you happy, Taoshay." Jaal hummed as he pressed a kiss to her temple. 

\---

After two days they returned to the Nexus where Drack was waiting for them. Ella had only seen him twice and she was still pretty intimidated by the old krogan, but Jaal seemed quite comfortable with him. 

"Hello Drack! What are you doing here?"

"Got invited to a party, Ryder asked me to come get the guest of honor, but the little tyke is trapped inside of this Ryder, so I guess you two can come along." He chuckled, gesturing to Ella's stomach. She flushed and placed a hand protectively on her abdomen. 

"Is it one of these baby showers I have heard about?"

"Yeah, pretty sure it is. Baby something or other, my hearing isn't so great these days. It's just the Tempest team this time, he didn't invite everyone in the galaxy for this party."

"Good, I don't think I could handle the whole galaxy knowing I'm pregnant." Ella sighed as she and Jaal followed the old man to the transit station then on to Scott's apartment. They entered to cheers of "Congratulations!" and balloons in all colors. How exactly they got balloons she wouldn't question, it was nice to have some pleasant nostalgia from home. There was a table with a big cake and other foods from life before, along with paripo fruit from Aya, much to Jaal's delight. Scott was there with Reyes at his side, both smiling at her. Scott's team and friends from the Tempest were there, the closest thing the Ryder's had to family. She and Jaal started to go through gifts, including one that neither of them expected: A tiny rofjinn from Evfra. Someone must have contacted him to let him know the good news. 

After all the gifts were opened Ella noticed that the only clothing item gifted was the rofjinn, but it made sense. No one knew what this baby would be shaped like, it's hard to anticipate what clothing they would need. There was a crib and a stroller, a baby backpack, blankets, toys, all the things a little baby could desire. There was also some maternity clothing for Ella and Lexi had gotten them some books about pregnancy and what to expect during the first few months. "I know not all this information will be relevant but it won't hurt to prepare." 

The whole party turned out to be wonderful and Ella went home happy. She and Jaal lay in bed together, both silently basking in the glow of their joy, Jaal's hands rubbing her stomach sending little pulses of bioelectricity to their child. Everything would be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been very busy with work so these chapters haven't been coming out at super regular intervals and I'm sorry for that, but I hope everyone's been enjoying them anyway :) This is the penultimate chapter :) :) :)


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for bearing with me and supporting this fic!!! I hope everyone enjoyed it. I know this last chapter is really short but it is what I wanted it to be

**3 years later**

Jaal smiled as he watched Ella, his bondmate, his wife, spin around with their little girl. Their baby was predominantly angaran, her mother's amber eyes being a striking difference. Something about having a human mother also made it so Shaila's fingers were separated completely, but beyond that she was angaran, with lilac skin much like his own. Ella was pregnant with their second child now and they knew from experience what to expect. 

Shaila's squeals pulled him from his thoughts as she called for him. "Papa! Papa, Momma won't put me down!" He got up and rushed over, snatching his little girl from his wife's devious hold, hugging his little taoshay close. Ella grinned and kissed his cheek.

"You know Papa won't put you down either, right?"

"Yes he will!" Shaila protested, squirming in his arms.

"Nope, I'm going to hold both of you forever." Jaal chuckled as he put his arm around Ella's waist, pulling her in close. Shaila gave an exasperated groan and continued to squirm. She was soon distracted by an approaching shuttle. Most people didn't know where their little home on Meridian was, so it was either important business or a surprise family visit. The shuttle didn't look angaran so the likelihood of it being a family visit was lessened. He gently set down Shaila but held her hand to keep her from running off toward the shuttle as it landed. 

Both he and Ella were surprised to see Scott climbing out of it with Reyes. The two mostly kept their visits to holidays and birthdays, and always let them know ahead of time. 

"Uncle Scott!" Shaila jerked her hand from Jaal's grasp and ran up to the human men. Scott grinned and scooped her up as soon as she got to him. Jaal looked over to Ella who shrugged, she hadn't been expecting them either. They followed their daughter and greeted Scott and Reyes. 

"So, baby brother, what brings you here?" 

"Again with the baby brother thing?" Scott sighed lightly, "We came by to let you know that we've decided to settle down."

"You guys are getting married?!" Ella asked excitedly. Becoming a Mother had helped her get over her grudges against Scott, and with time Reyes had proven himself to be a better man than they first thought. 

"Yes, but that is not all." Reyes hummed, looking over at Scott lovingly. "Tell her the biggest news, love."

"Yeah...I'm stepping down as Pathfinder." Jaal and Ella both gasped at that, this was a huge surprise and a huge step to take. "I know, I know. I just...I've already done everything I can for Heleus, helped settle worlds, end trade disputes, organize. There are other Pathfinders now, and I think I've honored Dad well enough, I'm sure he wouldn't begrudge me an early retirement."

"He wouldn't. But he would question the whole retirement business at your age. Do you plan to sit around and watch vids all day?" 

"No, I was thinking after taking a break I could join Nexus security and help with the militia. Use my training and expertise for good without having to be in charge of everything that happens out there."

"That's a good plan, Scottie boy." Ella chuckled, patting her brother's cheek gently. He smiled and then looked her over. 

"Another baby, huh? Any idea about the gender?" 

"Not for a few more weeks, but I'm hoping for a boy." 

"Name it after me, sis."

"No. Scott Ama Darav would sound really weird." 

"You could use my middle name." 

"Lee Ama Darav doesn't sound much better. I was going to let Jaal name this one. I chose Shaila's name, he can choose this baby's name."

"And if _I_ chose to name the child Scott Ama Darav?" He teased, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Then we'll have to have a serious discussion about where this relationship is going." She huffed, pretending to be upset just to tease him back. He pressed more kisses to her cheek, laying his hand on her stomach, feeling the faint bioelectricity of their child inside. 

"I will think of a good name, I promise."

Shaila spoke up, feeling left out. "You could name him Bunny! Or Noodles!" 

"Noodles Ama Darav, not half bad little one." Jaal hummed, kissing his daughter's cheek. 

"You know she'll be disappointed when we don't name our baby Noodles now, right?" Ella whispered to him.

"You said I got to name the baby, maybe I'll name them Noodles."

"I'll kill you."

"You can try, my beloved, you can try." 


End file.
